


falling for you

by nightingvle



Series: femslash february 2020 [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Dancing, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, takes place the day before mark of the assassin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22898335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightingvle/pseuds/nightingvle
Summary: It's the day before they're leaving for the party at the Chateau Haine, and Merrill still has no idea how to dance, but luckily for her, she's certain she knows someone who does.
Relationships: Isabela/Merrill (Dragon Age)
Series: femslash february 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1625506
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15
Collections: Merribela Week 2020





	falling for you

**Author's Note:**

> for the prompt "dancing" for day 3 of [merribela week](https://twitter.com/merribelaweek/status/1225970408416935936)!

_This was a bad idea_ , Merrill thinks.

The wooden door remains closed in front of her, her knock unanswered. This is the room the innkeeper directed her to, but perhaps no one is here. Maybe she should come back later, or—

The door suddenly swings open to reveal Isabela, half-dressed and attempting to comb through wild hair. A smile appears on her face upon seeing Merrill and she walks back inside, door still open. By now, Merrill has taken that to mean she’s welcome.

“Have I come at a bad time?” She asks, slowly stepping inside. “I could come back later.”

“ _You_ could never come at a bad time, kitten.”

Merrill smiles and lets the door fall shut behind her. She follows Isabela to the back of the room where a pile of crates lie yet to be unpacked, one of which Bela decides to use as a chair. _They’re quite useful_ , Merrill notes.

After the comb gets stuck in a tangle yet again, Isabela throws the thing aside with a sigh. She shifts her full attention to the elf and raises a brow upon noticing her still standing, looking around the room and awaiting the moment she won’t be interrupting anything.

“Is everything alright?” She asks. 

“We’ll be going to the Chateau tomorrow, where there’ll be a party,” her gaze drifts down to her entwined hands as she toys with her fingers. “And humans dance at parties, yes?”

“Only the fun ones.” 

Though the image would delight her under other circumstances, Merrill’s heart sinks at the thought, fingers twiddling faster. 

“Oh, I’m just going to embarrass myself,” she thinks aloud. “Perhaps I should stay here and let Hawke take someone else.”

Isabela’s lips twist into a frown upon hearing the words and she steps closer, eyebrows drawing together.

“Hey, calm down, kitten. What’s the matter?”

Merrill hesitates, but one look into the other woman’s worried eyes and she finds it all too easy to spill all her thoughts. Isabela always did have that effect on her. “I don’t know how to dance.”

“What—”

“I don’t even know where to start and every time I try, I just keep tripping over my own feet!” She exclaims. “But you know how to. Don’t you, Isabela? You’re so good at everything!”

There’s a brief moment of silence before a smirk is appearing on the other woman’s expression, one as sharp as her daggers. The candlelight reflects off her eyes, giving the effect of them brightening at the idea. Or perhaps that’s all her.

“Are you asking me to teach you how to dance?”

Merrill nods profusely, sighing with relief at telling someone at last. Both of the Hawkes seem to not care about the party one bit, so there’s a good chance they know nothing of dancing, and she doubts anyone else in their group knows how to dance. But Isabela is always so knowledgable of such things, and she’s ever so sweet. There was no one else she felt more comfortable coming to and from Isabela’s warming expression, Merrill knows she made the right decision.

The pirate stands up, taking a moment to brush off the backside of her clothing before turning her attention back to the awaiting elf. She makes a show of a dramatic bow before extending her hand, which Merrill eagerly accepts. It’s only then that she starts to wonder if perhaps Isabela meant something else with that gesture, if she messed up already, but the other woman simply smiles and pulls her closer. 

Isabela leans in, lips close enough to touch her own, breath warming her cheek, and says, “Ready for some fun, kitten?”

Merrill feels her body go still, her gaze drawn to the lips so close to her own. All she can do is nod her response before Isabela is suddenly twisting away, their hands still together and Merrill’s eyes wide with surprise. Soon enough, she is twirling back with a laugh joyous enough to brighten any room, and Merrill finds herself holding the other woman in her arms, her back against her chest. Isabela looks back with a dazzling smile and Merrill can’t help but focus on those lips again, to notice how close they are to hers in this moment.

They go on like that for much of the night, Isabela moving in a way that surprises her and yet draws her attention more and more each time. Laughter fills her ears until they’re ringing and the room spins. By the time they’re finished, they find themselves falling to the floor, giggling as they roll until Isabela stops them at last. She lifts herself up, Merrill still pinned to the floor, as their gazes lock.

_She’s so pretty_ , Merrill thinks, over and over again. She doesn’t understand how one person can be so beautiful, or that good at so many things. Even her laugh is enough to bring a smile to Merrill’s lips, or the mere thought of her laughing. And—

Before she can stop herself, she’s leaning forward and wrapping her arms around the other woman’s neck for support. She stops herself just short of pressing their lips together, waiting to see if her feelings are returned. She doesn’t have to wonder long, for the moment their lips are close enough, Isabela is responding eagerly, as if that’s all she was waiting for.

The other woman moves with such perfection, such ease, that it’s clear she’s done this before. And yet, there’s a hesitancy to her movements, a tenderness to her kiss. It’s as if there’s something about this that’s new to her entirely. Upon her lips, Merrill tastes what she thinks to be rum and smiles. Isabela, too, smiles against her lips.

At least one of Varric’s pirate stories are true.


End file.
